Red Bulls stay hot, stun Dynamo

New York posts impressive shutout victory over Houston

Juan Pablo Angel scored the New York Red Bulls' first goal on Sunday afternoon. (Getty Images)

But it's the New York Red Bulls who leave the Meadowlands with that distinction following a 3-0 victory Sunday against the two-time defending MLS Cup champions.

The Red Bulls played without three starters for a variety of reasons, but it didn't seem to matter as New York claimed their third victory in a row and is now undefeated in five matches.

Juan Pablo Angel and Dane Richards put the Red Bulls two goals up before the game was a half-hour old, then Mike Magee continued his goalscoring streak on the hour mark to finish off the match.

Angel opened the Red Bulls' account in the eighth minute, powering a header at the edge of the six-yard box past Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad. Magee laid the ball off to Dave van den Bergh, who whipped the cross into the box that led to Angel's sixth goal in six games.

Angel nearly made it a brace before the game was 20 minutes old, but his attempted chip of Onstad off a defensive miscue went off the top netting.

For the second week running, a long ball by Seth Stammler led to a goal. After freeing Magee last week for a 50-yard run and goal, Stammler sprung Dane Richards down the right side. The speedy Jamaican blew past Wade Barrett, who missed on an attempted slide tackle, and slotted the ball past Onstad from eight yards out to make it 2-0 in the 27th minute.

Magee continued his tear on the hour mark as he latched onto a long ball from Diego Jimenez, who made his first MLS start, took a touch around Onstad and scored his fourth goal of the year and third in as many games to put the Bulls in front 3-0.

Danleigh Borman, who came on for van den Bergh in the 64th minute, should have added a fourth goal, but he put a pass from John Wolyniec wide of the net. Ten minutes later, Seth Stammler attempted to feed Wolyniec, who came on for Angel in the 64th minute, but the pass just eluded the veteran striker from Staten Island and rolled past the far post.

An apparent 85th-minute goal by Wolyniec was called back for offside.

With the win, the Red Bulls move into a fourth-place tie with rival D.C. United in the Eastern Conference. And having outscored opponents 9-1 in the last three games, the Red Bulls are now level on the year in goal differential. The Red Bulls are now 7-1-3 at home this year, while Houston drops to 2-4-5 away from Robertson Stadium.

With starters Jeff Parke (sprained ankle), Gabriel Cichero (suspension) and Jorge Rojas (visa issues) unavailable, Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio went with a 4-4-2 formation with Jimenez, the former Mexican youth international, making his Major League Soccer debut. Also playing in front of Jon Conway, who made four saves to earn his sixth shutout of the year, was Andrew Boyens, Kevin Goldthwaite and Chris Leitch.

Richards, who came off the bench to set up Angel's late insurance marker against Toronto FC last weekend, got the start in the midfield, joined by holding midfielders Juan Pietravallo and Stammler and van den Bergh on the left. Mike Magee, who has scored in three consecutive games for the first time in his career, partnered up front with Angel.

Sinisa Ubiparipovic replaced Magee in the 79th minute for Osorio's final substitution.

Houston had Pat Onstad, Dwayne De Rosario and Brian Ching back from midweek national team call-ups, but only the Canadian internationals started against the Red Bulls with Ching held out of the match as a precaution because of the artificial surface.

Stuart Holden, who scored in a 4-0 thrashing of Chivas USA on Wednesday night, was Dominic Kinnear's first change, coming on for De Rosario in the 56th minute. Geoff Cameron replaced Eddie Robinson in the 62nd minute and Corey Ashe came on for Craig Waibel in the 75th minute for Houston's final change.

The Red Bulls head to RFK Stadium Saturday night for a critical Eastern Conference clash with D.C. United while Houston, which suffered its first league loss since a 2-0 defeat by the New England Revolution June 12, returns home to take on the Chicago Fire next Sunday.

Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.

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